Tourbineau Real Estate Purchased Cambridge Office Building
The firm acquired the eight-story office property for $25 million with plans to convert it into residential apartments.
Updated on Sept. 29, 2026 in Commercial
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Tourbineau Real Estate Partners has purchased an 86,000-square-foot office building located between Central and Harvard squares in Cambridge. The firm plans to renovate the eight-story structure to create 125 residential units.
Why it matters
The acquisition reflects a growing trend of repurposing underutilized commercial office space to help address regional housing demand. This project adds to the ongoing efforts by developers to adapt office properties into residential dwellings.
The property encompasses 86,000 square feet spread across eight stories. The project intends to yield 125 residential units from the existing office space.
The players
Tourbineau Real Estate Partners
An investment firm based in Seattle that focuses on commercial real estate acquisitions and redevelopment projects.
The details
The building is situated in a high-traffic area between Central and Harvard squares in Cambridge. Renovations will focus on transitioning the current commercial floor plan into a multi-family residential configuration.
Timeline
Tourbineau Real Estate Partners was founded in 2024.
The firm completed the purchase of the Cambridge property in September 2026.
Culture Shift
This project aligns with the broader push to convert aging office infrastructure into housing to combat urban shortages. It reflects a shift away from traditional commercial use toward dense residential living in high-demand academic and business corridors.
Local residents may see increased construction activity near Central and Harvard squares as the building undergoes its transition. Once completed, the project will add 125 new residential units to the city's housing stock.
The takeaway
Repurposing existing structures offers a faster path to increasing housing density in established urban centers compared to new construction. Residents in cities with high office vacancy rates should expect more commercial properties to undergo similar residential redevelopments.
Further reading
Learn more about the latest developments in Commercial property trends in the Cambridge area.
Source note: This article includes information reported by NBC Boston.
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